U.S. SILVER HALF-DOLLAR HISTORY

1794-1915

The first United States silver half-dollars were known as the "Flowing Hair Type," because of Liberty's flowing hair on the coin's obverse. These coins were first minted from 1794-95.

From 1794 until 1807, the United States minted three different types of half dollars: Flowing Hair (1794-95), Draped Bust with a Small Eagle Reverse (1796-97), and Draped Bust with a Heraldic Eagle Reverse (1801-07). The Capped Bust type, minted between 1807-1839, had a lettered edge until 1837. Liberty Seated Half-Dollars (1839-1891) and Liberty Head Half-Dollars (1892-1915), designed by Christian Goebrecht and Charles Barber respectively, were the last two types of U.S. silver half-dollars before the Walking Liberty Silver Half-Dollar.

1916-Present

Struck in most years between 1916 and 1947, Walking Liberty Half-Dollars are considered by many to be America’s most attractive silver coin. In 1948, the United States began minting Franklin-Liberty Bell Half-Dollars and continued to do so until the introduction of the Kennedy Half-Dollar in 1964. This design continues today, but the coin has undergone several composition changes. In 1964, the Kennedy Half-Dollars were composed of 90% silver, as were previous issues of silver half-dollars.

The next year, U.S. Congress passed the Coinage Act of 1965 which reduced the amount of silver in our nation's silver coinage to 40% silver. In 1971, all silver was removed from half-dollars which remain silver-free to this day.